rj.acrownofswords-第100部分

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pressure　than　he　was　using。　She　could　be　on　the　other　side　of　the　world　or　farther；　and　it　would　not　matter　a　hair。　The　part　of　her　that　was　her　would　be　separated；　she　would　still　see　with　her　eyes　and　hear　with　her　ears；　taste　what　crossed　her　tongue　and　feel　what　touched　her；　but　helpless　within　an　automaton　that　was　utterly　obedient　to　whoever　held　the　cour'souvra。　Whether　or　not　there　was　any　way　to　get　free　of　it；　a　mindtrap　was　just　what　its　name　implied。　She　could　feel　the　blood　draining　from　her　face。
　　　〃You　understand　now？〃　he　said。　〃You　still　serve　the　Great　Lord；　but　now　it　will　be　by　doing　as　I　say。〃
　　　〃I　understand；　Mia'cova；〃　she　said　automatically。
　　　Again　he　laughed；　a　deep　rich　sound　that　mocked　her　as　he　put　the　mindtrap　away　beneath　his　shirt。　〃There　is　no　need　for　that；　now　you've　had　your　lesson。　I　will　call　you　Moghedien；　and　you　will　call　me　Moridin。　You　are　still　one　of　the　Chosen。　Who　is　there　to　replace　you？〃
　　　〃Yes；　of　course；　Moridin；〃　she　said　tonelessly。　Whatever　he　said；　she　knew　that　she　was　owned。
　　　
　　　
Chapter　26　
（Sunburst）　
The　Irrevocable　Words　
　　　
　　　Morgase　lay　awake；　staring　at　the　ceiling　through　the　moonlit　darkness；　and　tried　to　think　of　her　daughter。　A　single　pale　linen　sheet　covered　her；　but　despite　the　heat　she　sweated　in　a　thick　woolen　sleeping　gown；　laced　tightly　to　the　neck。　Sweat　hardly　mattered；　no　matter　how　many　times　she　bathed；　no　matter　how　hot　the　water；　she　did　not　feel　clean。　Elayne　must　be　safe　in　the　White　Tower。　At　times　it　seemed　years　since　she　could　make　herself　trust　Aes　Sedai；　yet　whatever　the　paradox；　the　Tower　was　surely　the　safest　place　for　Elayne。　She　tried　to　think　of　Gawyn　…　he　would　be　in　Tar　Valon　with　his　sister；　full　of　his　pride　for　her；　so　earnest　in　his　desire　to　be　her　shield　when　she　needed　one　…　and　of　Galad　…　why　would　they　not　let　her　see　him？　She　loved　him　as　much　as　if　he　had　e　out　of　her　own　body；　and　in　so　many　ways　he　needed　it　more　than　the　other　two。　She　tried　to　think　of　them。　It　was　difficult　to　think　of　anything　except。。。　Wide　eyes　stared　up　into　the　darkness；　glistening　with　unshed　tears。
　　　She　had　always　thought　she　was　brave　enough　to　do　whatever　needed　doing；　to　face　whatever　came；　she　had　always　believed　she　could　pick　herself　up　and　continue　to　fight。　In　one　endless　hour；　without　leaving　more　than　a　few　bruises　that　were　already　fading；　Rhadam　Asunawa　had　begun　teaching　her　differently。　Eamon　Valda　had　pleted　her　education　with　one　question。　The　bruise　her　answer　had　left　on　her　heart　had　not　faded。　She　should　have　gone　back　to　Asunawa　herself　and　told　him　to　do　his　worst。　She　should　have。。。　She　prayed　that　Elayne　was　safe。　Perhaps　it　was　not　fair　to　hope　more　for　Elayne　than　for　Galad　or　Gawyn；　but　Elayne　would　be　the　next　Queen　of　Andor。　The　Tower　would　not　miss　the　chance　to　put　an　Aes　Sedai　on　the　Lion　Throne。　If　only　she　could　see　Elayne；　see　all　her　children　once　more。
　　　Something　rustled　in　the　dark　bedchamber；　and　she　held　her　breath；　fought　against　trembling。　The　faint　moonlight　barely　let　her　make　out　the　bedposts。　Valda　had　ridden　north　from　Amador　yesterday；　him　and　Asunawa；　with　thousands　of　Whitecloaks　to　face　the　Prophet；　but　if　he　had　e　back；　if　he。。。
　　　A　shape　in　the　darkness　resolved　into　a　woman；　too　short　for　Lini。　〃I　thought　you　might　still　be　awake；〃　Breane's　voice　said　softly。　〃Drink　this；　it　will　help。〃　The　Cairhienin　woman　tried　to　put　a　silvery　cup　into　Morgase's　hand。　It　gave　off　a　slightly　sour　smell。
　　　〃Wait　until　you're　summoned　to　bring　me　drink；〃　she　snapped；　pushing　the　cup　away。　Warm　liquid　spilled　onto　her　hand；　onto　the　linen　sheet。　〃I　was　almost　asleep　when　you　came　stamping　in；〃　she　lied。　〃Leave　me！〃
　　　Instead　of　obeying；　the　woman　stood　looking　down　at　her；　face　shadowed。　Morgase　did　not　like　Breane　Taborwin。　Whether　Breane　truly　was　nobly　born　and　e　down　in　the　world；　as　she　sometimes　claimed；　or　merely　a　servant　who　had　learned　to　counterfeit　her　betters；　she　obeyed　when　and　as　she　chose　and　let　her　tongue　run　entirely　too　free。　As　she　proved　now。
　　　〃You　moan　like　a　sheep；　Morgase　Trakand。〃　Even　kept　low；　her　voice　seethed　in　anger。　She　set　the　cup　on　the　small　bedside　table　with　a　thump；　more　of　the　contents　splashed　onto　the　tabletop。　〃Bah！　Many　others　have　seen　far　worse。　You　are　alive。　None　of　your　bones　are　broken；　your　wits　are　whole。　Endure；　let　the　past　pass；　and　go　on　with　your　life。　You　have　been　so　much　on　edge　that　the　men　walk　on　their　toes；　even　Master　Gill。　Lamgwin　has　hardly　slept　a　wink　these　three　nights。〃
　　　Morgase　flushed　with　annoyance；　even　in　Andor；　servants　did　not　speak　so。　She　caught　the　woman's　arm　in　a　tight　grip；　but　anxiety　warred　with　displeasure。　〃They　don't　know；　do　they？〃　If　they　did；　they　would　try　to　avenge　her；　rescue　her。　They　would　die。　Tallanvor　would　die。
　　　〃Lini　and　I　drape　linen　over　their　eyes　for　you；〃　Breane　sneered；　pulling　her　hand　away　and　flinging　it　back　at　her。　〃If　I　could　save　Lamgwin；　I　would　let　them　know　you　for　the　bleating　sheep　you　are。　He　sees　the　Light　made　flesh　in　you；　I　see　a　woman　without　courage　to　accept　the　day。　I　will　not　let　you　destroy　him　with　your　cowardice。〃
　　　Cowardice。　Outrage　welled　up　in　Morgase；　yet　no　words　came。　Her　fingers　knotted　in　the　sheet。　She　did　not　think　she　could　have　decided　in　cold　blood　to　lie　with　Valda；　but　had　she；　she　could　have　lived　with　it。　She　thought　she　could。　Another　matter　entirely　to　say　yes　because　she　feared　facing　Asunawa's　knotted　cords　and　needles　again；　feared　worse　that　he　would　have　gotten　to　eventually。　However　she　had　screamed　under　Asunawa's　ministrations；　Valda　was　the　one　who　had　showed　her　the　true　borders　of　her　courage；　so　far　short　of　where　she　had　believed。　Valda's　touch；　his　bed；　could　be　forgotten；　with　time；　but　she　would　never　be　able　to　wash　the　shame　of　that　〃yes〃　from　her　lips。　Breane　hurled　the　truth　in　her　face；　and　she　did　not　know　how　to　reply。
　　　She　was　spared　the　need　by　a　rush　of　boots　in　the　outer　room。　The　bedchamber　door　flung　open；　and　a　running　man　stopped　a　pace　inside。
　　　〃So　you're　awake；　good；〃　Tallanvor's　voice　said　after　a　moment。　Which　allowed　her　heart　to　start　beating　again；　allowed　her　to　breathe。　She　tried　to　release　Breane's　hand　…　she　did　not　remember　clasping　it　…　but　to　her　surprise；　the　woman　squeezed　once　before　letting　go。
　　　〃Something　is　happening；〃　Tallanvor　went　on；　striding　to　the　lone　window。　Standing　to　one　side　as　if　to　avoid　being　seen；　he　peered　into　the　night。　Moonlight　outlined　his　tall　form。　〃Master　Gill；　e　and　tell　what　you　saw。〃
　　　A　head　appeared　in　the　doorway；　bald　top　shining　in　the　darkness。　Behind；　in　the　other　room；　a　hulking　shadow　moved；　Lamgwin　Dorn。　When　Basel　Gill　realized　she　was　still　in　bed；　that　faint　shining　from　his　scalp　jerked　as　he　directed　his　eyes　elsewhere；　though　he　probably　had　difficulty　making　out　more　than　the　bed　itself。　Master　Gill　was　even　wider　than　Lamgwin；　but　not　nearly　as　tall。　〃Forgive　me；　my　Queen。　I　didn't　mean　to。。。　。〃He　cleared　his　throat　violently；　and　his　boots　scraped　on　the　floor；　shifting。　Had　he　had　a　cap；　he　would　have　been　turning　it　in。　his　hands；　or　wadding　it　nervously；　〃I　was　in　the　Long　Corridor；　on　my　way　to。。。　to。。。　〃　To　the　jakes；　was　what　he　could　not　bring　himself　to　say　to　her。　〃Anyway；　I　glanced　out　one　of　the　windows；　and　I　saw　a。。。　a　big　bird；　I　think。。。　land　on　top　of　the　South　Barracks。〃
　　　〃A　bird！〃　Lini's　thin　voice　drove　Master　Gill　to　leap　into　the　room；　clearing　the　doorway。　Or　maybe　it　was　a　sharp　poke　in　his　stout　ribs。　Lini　usually　took　every　advantage　her　gray　hair　offered。　She　stalked　by　him　still　belting　her　nightrobe。　〃Fools！　Ox…brained　lummoxes！　You　woke　my　ch…！〃　She　stopped　with　a　fierce　cough；　Lini　never　forgot　that　she　had　been　Morgase's　nurse；　and　her　mother's　as　well；　but　she　never　slipped　in　front　of　others。　She　would　be　cross　that　she　had　now；　and　it　showed　in　her　voice。　〃You　woke　your　Queen　for　a　bird！〃　Patting　her　hairnet；　she　automatically　tucked　in　a　few　strands　that　had　escaped　in　her　sleep。　〃Have　you　been　drinking；　Basel　Gill？〃　Morgase　wondered　that　herself。
　　　〃I　don't　know　it　was　a　bird；〃　Master　Gill　protested。　〃It　didn't　look　like　any　bird；　but　what　else　flies；　except　bats？　It　was　big。　Men　climbed　off　its　back；　and　there　was　another　still　on　its　neck　when　it　took　off　again。　While　I　was　slapping　my　face　to　wake　up；　another　of　the。。。　things。。。　landed；　and　more　men　climbed　down；　and　then　another　came；　and　I　decided　it　was　time　to　tell　Lord　Tallanvor。〃　Lini　did　not　sniff；　but　Morgase　could　almost　feel　her　stare；　and　it　was　not　directed　at　her。　The　man　who　had　abandoned　his　inn　to　follow　her　certainly　felt　it。　〃The　Light's　own　truth；　my　Queen；〃　he　insisted。
　　　〃Light！〃　Tallanvor　announced　like　an　echo。　〃Something。。。。　Something　just　landed　atop　the　North　Barracks。〃　Morgase　had　never　heard　him　sound　shaken　before。　All　she　wanted　was　to　make　them　all　go　away　and　leave　her　alone　in　her　misery；　but　there　seemed　no　hope。　Tallanvor　was　worse　than　Breane　in　many　ways。　Much　worse。
　　　〃My　robe；〃　she　said；　and　for　once　Breane　was　quick　to　hand　her　one。　Master　Gill　hastily　turned　his　face　to　the　wall　while　she　climbed　from　the　bed　and　put　on　the　silk　robe。
　　　She　strode　to　the　window；　tying　the　sash。　The　long　North　Barracks　loomed　across　the　wide　courtyard；　four　hulking　floors　of　flat…roofed　dark　stone。　Not　a　light　showed；　there　or　anywhere　in　the　Fortress。　All　was　stillness　and　silence。　〃I　see　nothing；　Tallanvor。〃
　　　He　drew　her　back。　〃Just　watch；〃　he　said。
　　　Another　time　she　would　have　regretted　his　hand　leaving　her　shoulder；　and　been　irritated　at　her　own　regret　as　well　as　his　tone。　Now；　after　Valda；　she　felt　relief。　And　irritation　at　the　relief　as　well　as　his　tone。　He　was　too　disrespectful　by　miles；　far　too　stubborn；　too　young。　Not　much　older　than　Galad。
　　　Shadows　moved　as　the　moon　did；　but　nothing　else　stirred。　Off　in　the　city　of　Amador；　a　dog　bayed；　answered　by　more。　Then；　as　she　opened　her　mouth　to　dismiss　Tallanvor　and　all　of　them；　darkness　atop　the　massive　barracks　humped　up　and　hurled　itself　off　the　roof。
　　　Something；　Tallanvor　had　called　it；　and　she　had　no　better　name。　An　impression　of　a　long　body　that